Probing the local environment of a single OPE3 molecule using inelastic tunneling electron spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT: We study single-molecule oligo(phenylene ethynylene)dithiol junctions by means of inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS). The molecule is contacted with gold nano-electrodes formed with the mechanically controllable break junction technique. We record the IETS spectrum of the molecule from direct current measurements, both as a function of time and electrode separation. We find that for fixed electrode separation the molecule switches between various configurations, which are characterized by different IETS spectra. Similar variations in the IETS signal are observed during atomic rearrangements upon stretching of the molecular junction. Using quantum chemistry calculations, we identity some of the vibrational modes which constitute a chemical fingerprint of the molecule. In addit

SUBMITTER: Frisenda R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4734430 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature